


just a misunderstanding

by notmadderred



Series: Daredevil/Punisher Fics [17]
Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: FrattWeek, Gen, M/M, Two Whole Dumbasses, city
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22351510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notmadderred/pseuds/notmadderred
Summary: “I will admit that I saw this going differently,” Matt offered dryly. He could feel Frank shift behind him, his heart hammering with the poignant noise of annoyance.“Ya think, Red?” he shot back, his tone venomous. It was obvious he was trying to find a weak point in the ropes they were currently tied up in, but Frank wasn’t very useful blindfolded.
Relationships: Frank Castle & Matt Murdock, Frank Castle/Matt Murdock
Series: Daredevil/Punisher Fics [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1245263
Comments: 39
Kudos: 325
Collections: Fratt Week





	just a misunderstanding

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Fratt Week! Here's my submission for Day 2, "City"

“I will admit that I saw this going differently,” Matt offered dryly. He could feel Frank shift behind him, his heart hammering with the poignant noise of annoyance.

“Ya think, Red?” he shot back, his tone venomous. It was obvious he was trying to find a weak point in the ropes they were currently tied up in, but Frank wasn’t very useful blindfolded.

Matt hummed. A strip of cloth had been placed over the eyes on his mask, which he mused was probably an entertaining sight to behold and, frankly, a ridiculous choice over simply removing his mask outright. Bad guys and their dramatics. He crossed his legs, ignoring the biting pain of freckled bruises in favor of gauging their surroundings. He didn’t remember anything since the gas knocked him and Frank out, and he must have taken longer than Frank to recover, seeing as the other man was already wide awake when Matt first began to rouse. He’d opted silently to blame his enhanced senses for that one.

It was a warehouse on what he was pretty sure was the lower east side of Hell’s Kitchen. Not a usual area for gang dens, but he wouldn’t have ruled it out completely. Matt and Frank were surrounded by various empty trailers, but the smell of meth still lingered off of them. Surely they’d have a better hiding place?

“Help me out here, if you’re finally awake,” Frank grunted. 

Matt’s own arms were wrapped firmly against his chest beneath the series of ropes, as were Frank’s. Said ropes linked the two of them back-to-back, tied by their midsections and left to sit on the concrete floor. “And how can I do that?” said Matt.

Frank’s annoyance rose briefly. “Red, don’t piss me off.”

“It was a legitimate question.”

“I know your tone for legitimate questions, and that ain’t it.”

Fair point. “Should I be concerned that you know my voice so well?”

“Shut the hell up.”

There was a pause, neither of them moving. Then, “They didn’t take off your mask, did they?”

He sounded legitimately concerned. Matt tried to ignore the feeling building in his chest. “No. Don’t worry -- if they figure out my identity, I’m sure it’ll be at the same time as you. Right before, y’know. They kill us.”

“Fuckin’ hell, Red.”

Matt stiffened, angling his head toward the door. “Someone’s coming.”

The door flew open, immediately shut behind them once more. “Hello there,” a man drawled as he stepped over. “I must say, you two were far easier to take down than I expected.”

Matt hadn’t been paying close enough attention. He’d been distracted by Frank, of all things, who had definitely taken in interest in finding out more about Matt’s personal life mostly unrelated to his identity. He didn’t like how he felt about that.

Frank spat at the man’s feet, missing by a good two yards.

“Nice try,” the man said.

“There’s a reason we were so easy to catch,” Matt announced.

The man’s heartbeat rose. “What?”

Matt bumped his head back, hitting Frank’s own head slightly harder than he intended. As Frank cursed, Matt continued, “Frank wanted to knit some sweaters, so I was carrying the team. Unfortunately, he weighs a lot.” He attempted a shrug. “I guess that means we were easy to take down.”

“... What?” he repeated.

Frank huffed.

The man scowled. “Mikey will be here soon,” he said accusingly. “You won’t have so much fun spouting bullshit then.”

“Funny that you mention bullshit,” said Frank, shifting in the bindings. They still weren’t giving, but Matt could sense him trying to feel around his chest, where they appeared to have missed one of his knives. “The real reason you caught us was ‘cause I had to stop Red here from eating some o’ that. It’s a full-time job.”

Holy _shit_. Had Frank just carried a bit?

“Fuck off,” said the man.

“That’s what Frank was doing,” said Matt.

“Oh, my God,” the man continued, clenching his hands into fists.

“That’s what Frank said, ironically,” Matt continued, making his tone pointedly chipper.

Frank only offered a disappointed sigh at that one.

“You two think you’re funny, huh?” he said, stepping even closer.

“Well,” said Frank, wincing slightly, “Red’s a comedian, so he certainly thinks so.”

“Frank wanted to make a career doing rom-coms, but he broke his nose one too many times for that.”

“Red’s been thinkin’ he actually is the devil lately. It’s been causin’ us some problems.”

“Frank keeps trying to rescue cats.”

“Red _is_ a cat.”

“My statement stands.”

“You know what? Fuck this,” said the man, and he stormed the rest of the way over to Matt. “I don’t gotta wait for Mikey. How about we get this over with already?”

Frank’s head whipped over. “Wait, whaddaya--”

The man grabbed Matt’s cowl and pulled it back.

Matt blinked. “Uh, yeah. I was cosplaying. How do I look?”

“What the fuck?” said the man, staggering back. “You’re that fucking lawyer.”

He swallowed down his concern. He’d find a way out of this. “Uh, yeah. That’s me.”

“You’re _blind_.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“What the _fuck_?”

Matt bit down on his lip. “Wait. Is this for real?”

“ _What?_ ”

Matt squirmed in his restraints. “This is still a part of… of your _thing_ , right, Pete?”

Frank frowned.

Matt squirmed some more. “We weren’t… _actually_ kidnapped, right?”

Confusion was practically radiating off their captor. “What?”

“Uh,” said Frank, “I… thought this was your doing.”

“No,” Matt said slowly, “it’s not.”

“Are you guys serious? But that’s-- you’re Frank Castle!”

Frank snorted. “M’ name’s Pete Castiglioni. Check my ID, if ya want. Matt and I aren’t the actual Punisher and Daredevil. His suit is a shitty knock-off for one.”

Every word was laced with the tell-tale signs of lying from his heart, but apparently he sounded pretty convincing to the man. “Are you serious? Wait -- is that why you were so easy to catch?”

“Joking aside, yeah,” Matt piqued up. “It really isn’t that difficult to catch a blind guy, but I did think the knock-out gas was a tad excessive. But, well, Pete likes realism.”

“Oh, fuck you,” said Frank.

“You aren’t denying it.”

“I’m not _saying_ I’m denying it, I’m saying fuck you.”

“And look where that got us.”

“That ain’t funny.”

“Neither is getting kidnapped.”

“No shit, asshole -- I still say this is your fault--”

“My fault! I’m the blind one, Pete! You’re supposed to guide me to places that _aren’t_ crawling with people who want to kidnap us in fucking costume!”

“I didn't know someone was seriously gonna think that we were the actual--”

“You know what? Fuck this!” The man pulled out a knife of his own and began sawing through the ropes. “I don’t have to listen to- to this. Fuck. You-- you fucking weirdos. Why the fuck would you even-- nevermind. Don’t want to know.” After he cut through the final rope, he pulled off Frank’s blindfold stepped back. “Get the hell out of here.”

That went far smoother than it should have.

Whatever. He wasn’t going to hesitate taking advantage of it.

Matt jumped to his feet before stumbling forward a few steps. “Can I have the mask back?”

The man pressed it against Matt’s chest, and Matt took it from his hold. “Thanks.”

“Fuck, just leave.”

Matt nodded. “Right. Uh, Pete? Do you mind…?”

Frank pulled himself to his feet and walked over to Matt with a soft sigh before plaintively looping his arm through Matt’s. “Think it’s safe to call an Uber?”

“Don’t call a fucking Uber,” the man said, crossing his arms. “You’re dressed like goddamn vigilantes.”

“Oh. Right,” said Frank.

“Shit,” the man said, and he grabbed a fistful of his hair and twisted. “Fuck it. I’ll drive you weird fucks to-- to wherever the hell you need. Just don’t fucking tell anyone about this.”

“We don’t know your name,” said Frank.

“And my smell descriptions aren’t that great,” added Matt.

“Whatever!”

“We won’t say anything,” Frank said with a calming note of resolution.

The man took a breath. “Right. Good. Yeah. I’ll, uh, make something up to Mikey later. You guys have seriously fucked up my day.”

“I thought it was night?” Matt added. Frank elbowed him.

“I should just kill you both.”

“I’ll shut up,” said Matt.

With a huff, the man began walking. Frank followed, gently pulling Matt with him. “You know,” said the guy, “you act nothing like you do in court. Or public.”

Matt smirked, clutching the mask in his hand a little tighter. “What can I say? Pete brings out the best in me.”

“I wouldn’t say this is the best of you.”

“That’s your opinion.”

“It’s a reasonable fucking opinion.”

“That’s rude.”

“Stop fighting,” Frank interrupted.

“You should stop being a criminal,” Matt said to the man.

“Yeah, we’ll see about that. If I need a lawyer, I’ll call you and use this shit as blackmail.”

“Blackmailing is still a criminal activity.”

The man’s frustration was slowly beginning to recede. Matt decided to count this as a win.

When he took out this place later, he’d make sure to go easy on this guy. Maybe give him a way out.

Frank leaned in closer. “So you’re a fuckin’ lawyer who breaks the law regularly and tells other people not to be criminals?”

Matt scowled.

“Maybe you shoulda gone for politics,” Frank continued.

“Oh, shut up.”

“Just sayin’.”

“I hate you.”

“Sure you do.”

“Shut up!” the man called over his shoulder.

Matt tried to force down a grin as he pulled Frank a little bit closer.


End file.
